Cowboys in Feeder Frenzy

Courtesy of the Townsville Bulletin / By Adam Gardini

THE NORTH Queensland Cowboys could use teams from either Cairns or Mackay as feeder clubs if one or both are granted entry into the Queensland Wizard Cup for 2008.

Cowboys officials will meet with a Cairns-based group, led by former North Queensland chief executive Denis Keeffe, tonight to discuss the possibility of forming an alliance if the party decides to enter a bid for a team in 2008. A Mackay consortium also remains determined to apply for a spot in the 2008 Wizard Cup after having a bid to enter this year's competition knocked back.

The Cowboys' interest in establishing a link with either or both regions centres around the proposed introduction of a national under-20 youth competition in the NRL in 2008, likely to signal the end of the Young Guns' involvement in the Wizard Cup.

Should the youth competition be rubber-stamped, as expected, Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr said forming a feeder relationship with Cairns and/or Mackay would be more viable for the club than fielding three sides – first grade, Wizard Cup and under-20s.

He said Cairns or Mackay-based teams could be used as an outlet for contracted North Queensland players who were not playing first grade but were too old to play in the national youth competition.
"We've got a few options there to have a look at and which we've discussed," Parr said.

"We could keep the Young Guns as it is but that's an expensive option to be running three teams.

"We could possibly look at a feeder club or feeder clubs.

"Mackay and Cairns have both indicated they are looking at admission to the Queensland Cup in 2008.

"If we decide not to put a Young Guns team in there's two very good alternatives in Cairns and Mackay.

"Both those regions have very good people involved in running them."

Keeffe said tonight's meeting in Cairns, to be attended by more than 50 people, was designed to gauge interest and ascertain whether a Queensland Cup club would be feasible.

"That's the first step, to see if we've got enough supporters financially or otherwise," he said from Cairns yesterday.

"I think a State League side would be successful here and would be viable here."

QRL northern division chief executive Bob Newsome yesterday confirmed Mackay was set to apply for a spot in the Wizard Cup for 2008.

He said drawbacks of Mackay's previous application centred around facilities but plans to erect a new multi-purpose sports stadium in the area would likely solve that problem.

The stadium, to be constructed by the Ikin Group, is planned to hold 15,000 spectators including 4000 grandstand seats.

"Mackay are definitely going to be bidding," Newsome said.

"They did put in a bid to come in this year, but there was certain things lacking with (the) application.

"The QRL made it very clear it was interested in having a team out of Mackay.

"(QRL managing director) Ross Livermore is looking at teams from Mackay, Cairns and Western Australia."

# The views expressed in this article are of the Townsville Bulletin and those interviewed. While the QRL welcomes and encourages the interest of rural teams in the Wizard Cup, no guarantees of participation can be made until a full and proper submission, including financials, is viewed by the QRL Board.     Start of Story !>

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